Year: 2024


Preparedness Notes for Sunday — April 28, 2024

On April 28, 1945, Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, “Il Duce,” who had become unpopular even among his fellow Fascists, was captured while trying to flee Italy. He was executed, and then his corpse was ignominiously dragged through the streets. Then it was put on public display before a jeering crowd in front of an Esso gas station in Milan’s Piazzale Loreto, hanging head-down. Alongside Mussolini were the bodies of his mistress Claretta Petacci, and several members of his Fascist cabinet — also executed. — April 28th is the birthday of Aimo Johannes Lahti. (Born in 1896.) This inventive Finn designed …


Crisis is Normal, by SwampFox

A few years ago, there was a show on cable television called Doomsday Preppers. I saw a few episodes of it a long time after release, and a basic episode usually focused on one or two families and their retreat setups and the scenarios they were preparing for. As expected, the show was mostly composed of stereotypes and odd or eccentric examples, not to mention the obvious glaring OPSEC issues for anybody who would dare to appear on television. But one aspect seemed true-to-life: Each family the producers interviewed seemed to be preparing for something specific. They would say, “I’m …


JWR’s Meme Of The Week:

The latest meme created by JWR: Meme Text: Joe Biden Says It Best: Happy Cinco De Baño! Notes From JWR: Do you have a meme idea? Just e-mail me the concept, and I’ll try to assemble it. And if it is posted then I’ll give you credit. Thanks! Permission to repost memes that I’ve created is granted, provided that credit to SurvivalBlog.com is included.


The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, …


Preparedness Notes for Saturday — April 27, 2024

On April 27, 1865, the worst maritime disaster in U.S. history occurred when the overloaded steamship SS Sultana exploded on the Mississippi River, killing some 1,800 people, many of whom were former Union POWs returning home from the Civil War. — On this day in 1789, the crew of the British ship Bounty mutinied, setting Captain William Bligh and 18 sailors adrift in a launch in the South Pacific. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 112 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: The photovoltaic power specialists at …


Snow Removal Considerations, by Hubbyberry

Somewhere around twenty one years ago my wife asked me if we could move from New Jersey to Maine. My first thought was, “Trout, perch, moose, deer, bear and striped bass. “What’s not to like?” I could have done some further thinking before I said, “yes,” but hey, once I committed, we went on a roll. Nine months later we were living here. Our first Maine home was in a little town in Piscataquis county, in a neighborhood. The driveway was fifty feet long, with the garage six feet from the house. One of new neighbors suggested getting a walk …


Editors’ Prepping Progress

To be prepared for a crisis, every Prepper must establish goals and make both long-term and short-term plans. In this column, the SurvivalBlog editors review their week’s prep activities and planned prep activities for the coming week. These range from healthcare and gear purchases to gardening, ranch improvements, bug-out bag fine-tuning, and food storage. This is something akin to our Retreat Owner Profiles, but written incrementally and in detail, throughout the year.  We always welcome you to share your own successes and wisdom in your e-mailed letters. We post many of those — or excerpts thereof — in the Odds …


The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night. And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness! And wherefore hath the Lord brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt? And they said one to another, Let us make a …


Preparedness Notes for Friday — April 26, 2024

On April 26, 1785, John James Audubon, an American ornithologist who became well known for his drawings and paintings of North American birds, was born in Les Cayes, Saint-Domingue, West Indies (now Haiti). — On April 26, 1986, one of the world’s worst nuclear accidents occurred at the Chernobyl plant in the Soviet Union. An explosion and fire in the No. 4 reactor sent radioactivity into the atmosphere; at least 31 Soviets died immediately. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 112 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: …


Weapons of Mass Deception – Part 4, by R.G.

(Continued from Part 3.  This concludes the article.) King David and the Threshing Floor– “But the Word of Jehovah came to me, saying You have shed much blood and have made great wars. You shall not build a house to My name…” (1Ch 22:8) King David ordered a census to be taken against God’s desires. So, Jehovah sent a plague upon Israel for three days that killed many Israelis. The plague was halted by God at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. To honor Jehovah for stopping the plague, David bought the threshing floor and built an altar there. …


Economics & Investing For Preppers

Here are the latest news items and commentary on current economics news, market trends, stocks, investing opportunities, and the precious metals markets. In this column, JWR also covers hedges, derivatives, and various obscura. This column emphasizes JWR’s “tangibles heavy” investing strategy and contrarian perspective. Today, we look at rising mortgage interest rates. (See the Economy & Finance section.) Precious Metals: Just as I predicted, there has been some profit-taking in the gold and silver markets.  As of Thursday afternoon, spot gold was around $2,345 and silver was around $27.65 per Troy ounce.  But the markets won’t be fooled. I expect strong …



Preparedness Notes for Thursday — April 25, 2024

On April 125, 1959, in one of the largest civil engineering feats ever undertaken, the St. Lawrence Seaway officially opened, linking the Atlantic Ocean with the Great Lakes. — Today is the birthday of physicist, inventor, and entrepreneur Guglielmo Marconi (1874–1937). He was known for his pioneering work on long-distance radio transmission as well as for the development of Marconi’s Law and a radio telegraph system. He is often considered the inventor of radio. — Going, going… We are now down to just 15 of the waterproof 2005-2023 SurvivalBlog Archive USB sticks. I’ve reduced the price on those remaining sticks …


Weapons of Mass Deception – Part 3, by R.G.

(Continued from Part 2.) Weapons of Mass Destruction – “…Their flesh shall rot while they stand on their feet, and their eyes shall rot in their sockets. And their tongue shall rot in their mouths” (Zec 14:12) It is well known that Israel has nuclear weapons and capabilities to deliver them to Iran. Israel has never signed the Non-Proliferation treaties and has developed the “Samson Option.” This option will be used as a last resort to destroy all their surrounding enemies if Israel felt their very existence was threatened. Iran has been working on nuclear research for many years and …